# NTSB ANC00LA053: Bell 206B, N301MH, Homer, AK, May 1, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 1, 2000, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Homer, AK - Coordinates: 59.399131, -151.319931 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.3991&lon=-151.3199&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 50956 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC00LA053 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50956/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA053 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudging the landing flare in whiteout/flat light conditions. Factors associated with the accident are the whiteout and flat lighting conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor) - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - light condition - other (contributing factor) - Roll over, hover - in ground effect - weather condition - whiteout (contributing factor) ## Analysis During an on-demand passenger flight, the airline transport certificated pilot was landing a helicopter at a lake gauging station. The gauging station was surrounded by snow-covered terrain. His two passengers were conducting snow pack studies around the lake. Flat light conditions existed at the lake, and light drizzle was falling. The pilot was utilizing the gauging station as his landing reference point, but during the landing approach, he flew past the station and had no other visual references. The skids of the helicopter contacted the snow, and the pilot applied upward collective pitch. He attempted to stabilize the helicopter in a hover, but began drifting forward and to the left. The left landing gear skid contacted the snow, and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. A passenger described the weather conditions at the landing site as the 'inside of a ping pong ball.' The pilot recommended additional white-out training as a way to prevent the accident. ## Factual narrative On May 1, 2000, about 1230 Alaska daylight time, a high skid equipped Bell 206B helicopter, N301MH, was substantially damaged during a collision with snow-covered terrain, about 21 miles northeast of Homer, Alaska, about latitude 59 degrees, 45 minutes north, and longitude 150 degrees, 51 minutes west. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The helicopter was operated by Maritime Helicopters Inc., Homer, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot, and the two passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Homer Airport, Homer, at 1130. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on May 1, at 1747, the Chief Pilot for the operator reported the helicopter was landing at Bradley Lake, located on the Kenai Peninsula. The helicopter pilot was landing next to a gauging station that was surrounded by snow-covered terrain. Flat light conditions existed at the lake, and light drizzle was falling. The sky conditions were 500 feet overcast, and the visibility was about 1 mile. The pilot was utilizing the gauging station as his landing reference point, but during the landing approach, he flew past the station and had no other visual references. The skids of the helicopter contacted the snow, and the pilot applied upward collective pitch. He attempted to stabilize the helicopter in a hover, but began drifting forward and to the left. The left landing gear skid contacted the snow, and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. The Pilot/Operator report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) submitted by the pilot, included a written statement. In the statement, the pilot said that during the landing approach, he passed the gauging unit that he was using as a reference. After passing the unit, he focused his attention on the snow in front of the helicopter. When the helicopter touched down on the snow, the pilot said he thought the helicopter was still one or two feet above the snow surface. He brought the helicopter to a hover, but the helicopter drifted forward about 30 feet, and about 60 to 75 feet to the left. The left skid contacted the snow, and the helicopter rolled over. In the Recommendation Section of the 6120.1/2 form where comments can be added about how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot noted "additional white-out training." Both passengers in the helicopter reported that during the landing approach, the helicopter developed a high sink rate and touched down hard on the snow, beyond the gauging station. The terrain presented no visual references, and one passenger described the visual conditions as "the inside of a ping pong ball." Both passengers said the weather conditions included bright, filtered sunlight through overcast skies, and a light rain. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N301MH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N301MH-2003-03-18), registration cancelled 2003-03-18, S/N 2371, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250 SER 400HP](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-400hp) (registry code 03013, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2371 - Engines: Allison 250-C20R 450 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Maritime Helicopters Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: PAHO, HOMER, AK - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 16,622 total, 966 in this make and model, 15,219 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 5 knots - Visibility: 1 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 500 ft overcast ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000501017969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000501017969A), May 1, 2000: Bell 206B, Homer, AK, Substantial damage. (.4)During an on-demand passenger flight, the airline transport certificated pilot was landing a helicopter at a lake gauging station. The gauging station was… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.